Packaging for receiving a filling material

ABSTRACT

Packaging for receiving a filling material, comprises a container for storing the filling material, the container comprising a collar for bordering an opening for providing access to the filling material, a lid for covering the opening in closed state and a gasket made from an elastic material for sealing the opening, wherein the gasket is connected to the lid, wherein the gasket is elastically deformed by the collar in the closed state and the gasket provides a first sealing force in radial direction onto the collar in the closed state, wherein the first sealing force is provided by a resilient force of the gasket due to the deformation of the gasket by means of the collar only.

The invention relates to a packaging by which a filling material can bereceived and securely transported as well as stored over extendedperiods of time.

WO 2009/147194 A2 discloses a packaging suitable for storing ahygroscopic powder, wherein an opening of a container for storing thehygroscopic powder can be sealed by means of a metal foil glued to afront face of a collar of the container which borders the opening.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,108,776 B2 discloses a packaging with a lid comprising agasket. The gasket comprises an axially protruding part which can beclamped between a front face of a glass vessel and the lid when the lidis clamped to the glass vessel and provides a suitable clamping force.The gasket comprises a spring part protruding in radial direction anddownwards which is configured to flex easily to absorb the variabilityof the vessel seal surface at the axial front face of the vessel.

There is a permanent need for a good and cost-efficient sealing of apackaging.

It is an object of the invention providing measures enabling a good andcost-efficient sealing of a packaging. Particularly, it is an object ofthe invention enabling a sealing that protects the filling material forenvironmental influences, like humidity, particularly after the disposalof a sealing foil during the first removal of a part of the fillingmaterial.

The solution of this object is provided according to the invention by apackaging according to the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments ofthe invention are given by the dependent claims and the followingdescription, which can constitute each solely or in combination anaspect of the invention.

According to the invention a packaging for receiving a filling materialis provided comprising a container for storing the filling material,wherein the container comprises a collar for bordering an opening forproviding access to the filling material, a lid for covering the openingin closed state and a gasket made from an elastic material for sealingthe opening, wherein the gasket is connected to the lid, wherein thegasket is elastically deformed by the collar in the closed state and thegasket provides a first sealing force in radial direction onto thecollar in the closed state, wherein the first sealing force is providedby a resilient force of the gasket due to the deformation of the gasketby means of the collar only.

The gasket may be pressed against the collar along the wholecircumference of the collar with a sufficient first sealing force.Particularly the gasket may provide a moisture-proof sealing with thecontainer via the collar of the container. Due to the elastic materialof the gasket the gasket may be sufficiently deformed for providing theintended first sealing force. It is used the insight that the resilientforce of the gasket when deformed by the collar may provide a sufficientsealing force. The elasticity and the three-dimensional shape of thegasket may be suitably chosen for providing the intended minimum firstsealing force so that it is not necessary providing a clamping mechanismfor providing the intended sealing force by means of the appliedclamping force. Only the resilient force of the deformed gasket providesthe first sealing force. This means, no other force, particularly noclamping force, is applied to provide the first sealing force. Inaddition, the presence of the collar may be utilized for applying thefirst sealing force. Particularly the gasket may overlap the collar sothat the gasket meets the collar when the lid is closing. In a preferredembodiment the gasket is arranged in one radial plane of the lid, sothat the gasket protrudes from a side wall of the lid in radialdirection only in the non-biased state, when the lid is positioned inits open state. The collar may bend the gasket away when the lid isfurther closed elastically deforming the gasket. Particularly a part ofthe gasket is bent by the collar by nearly 90°±5°. In the closed state,the deformed gasket rests on the lateral area of the collar, whereinonly the resilient force of the elastically deformed gasket provides thefirst sealing force in radial direction. The gasket may be press-fittedonto the collar. Since the collar of the container bends and deforms thegasket in the closed state, a radial press fit between the gasket andthe collar is provided without the need of applying a clamping force bymeans of a clamping mechanism so that a good and cost-efficient sealingof a packaging is enabled. Particularly the gasket is arranged radiallyoutside the collar. The lid may be put over the collar, so that it isprevented to insert the lid into the collar. This facilitates theclosing and opening of the container. Further the packaging may comprisea better looking design. The closed lid may be flush with the outside ofthe container in the closed state. The collar may comprise a smallercross section than the remaining container. Particularly the containerand the collar may be designed like a bottle, wherein the collar mayprovide a bottle neck. Preferably the lid may be flush in the closedstate with the outside of a part of the container located below thecollar.

The sealing force between the collar and the gasket in the closed stateis provided by the resilient force of the deformed gasket only. It isnot necessary to clamp the gasket between two parts, which have to beconnected to each other by a further connection assembly. The gasket ismainly unstressed and/or relaxed in the opened state of the container atits part pointing towards the collar in the closed state. The sealingforce between the collar and the lid is provided by deforming,particularly bending, the gasket while the lid is moved into the closedstat. The gasket is preloaded in the deformed state, so that thedeformed gasket may provide the intended sealing force. Since no otherforces are applied at the contact face between the collar and the lidbesides the resilient force of the deformed gasket, the sealing force isprovided by the deformation of the gasket by means of the collar only.

In addition, a user feels a specific back force when the lid is moved inthe closed state so that the user experiences a haptic feedback that thepackaging is closed. The handling of the packaging is facilitated,particularly for providing a sufficient sealing. Further, a sufficientsealing cannot be accidentally omitted, when the lid is closed but notclamped, since a clamping is not necessary for providing the sufficientsealing. The geometry of the gasket may be easily chosen in respect tothe geometry of the collar for providing a specific minimum deformationand in turn a definite minimum first sealing force between the gasketand the collar of the container. For instance an inner diameter of thegasket may be chosen sufficiently smaller than an outer diameter of thelateral contact face of the collar. Further the thickness and/or theelastic material of the gasket may be chosen with respect to the collarin order to provide an intended resilient force in the closed state ofthe lid for providing the intended sealing quality. This minimum sealingforce can be guaranteed easily even when low requirements in respect tofabrication tolerances apply. This enables a good and cost-efficientsealing between the gasket and the collar of the container. The fillingmaterial inside the container may be sufficiently protected forenvironmental impacts, for instance humidity or other influences. Due tothe elasticity of the gasket the gasket may be biased and may provide asufficient resilient force. At the same time the gasket may compensate adisplacement of the lid relative to the collar of the container. Thegasket may be bent more or less depending on the displacement of the lidand the relative position of each part of the gasket to the collar. Ahigher or a lower resilient force may be provided from the gasketdepending on the distance of the side wall of the lid to the collar andthe gap between the side wall of the lid and the collar bridged by thegasket. Due to the different resilient forces of the gasket the lid maybe centered with respect to the collar into a relative position wherethe resilient forces of the gasket are mainly even along thecircumference of the collar. A displacement of the lid relative to thecollar may be compensated automatically due to the elastic deformationof the gasket in the closed state of the lid. Again, a specific minimumsealing force of the gasket to the collar in the closed state of the lidcan be guaranteed at a given position tolerance, which may alsoassociate to a given manufacturing tolerance particularly of the lid.The minimum sealing force between the gasket and the collar can besufficient for providing a specific quality of the sealing, particularlya moisture-proof sealing. The three-dimensional design of the gasketallows a tight sealing as well as an elastic compensation of tolerances,so that a good and cost-efficient sealing of the packaging is enabled.

The gasket may contact the collar of the container in a two-dimensionalmanner so that a large contact area is provided. The sealing effectbetween the gasket and the collar may be increased. The side wall of thelid may be arrange mainly in parallel to the collar in the closed stateof the lid. The gasket may be connected, particularly glued and/orwelded, to the lid, particularly to the side wall of the lid, via itsouter lateral face or via a part of its axial face. Particularly a toppart of the lid may abut the collar so that the front face of the collarprovides a stop for the closing movement of the lid. A defined maximumclosed state can be provided, when the top part of the lid meets thecollar front face. The container, particularly together with the collar,may be produced from a plastic material, particularly by blow molding orby plastic injection molding. The container may be made from athermoplastic material, particularly polypropylene. The lid may beconnected to the container directly or indirectly. Preferably the lid isone-piece with the container and connected to the container via a filmhinge. The packaging may be designed further as disclosed in WO2009/147194 A2 whose content is herewith incorporated as part of theinvention.

Particularly the collar comprises a rim protruding radially outwards,wherein the first sealing force applies onto the lateral area of the rimand/or onto the lateral area of an undercut of the collar bordered bythe rim. The rim may comprise a predefined thickness in axial directionso that a mainly constant sealing force may apply to the lateral face ofthe rim even at different axial distances of the lid to the container.When the gasket engages into the undercut, a form fit between theelastic gasket and the collar may be provided which can be overcome by asufficient opening force applied to the lid for deforming the gasketsuch, that the positive fit engagement of the gasket is resolved.Further, the gasket may contact the lateral face of the undercut of thecollar in addition or in alternate to the contact of the gasket to thelateral face of the rim.

Preferably the gasket is formed such, that the gasket meets an axialcollar front face of the collar in the closed state. The gasket may notonly seal the collar at its lateral face but may provide in addition thefunctionality of a stop which defines the maximum closed position of thelid. Due to the elasticity of the gasket the gasket may damp the hit atthe end of the closing movement when the lid reaches its closed state.Further a rattling of the lid may be damped by the gasket meeting thecollar front face.

Particularly preferred the gasket is clamped between the lid and thecollar front face in the closed state for providing the third sealingforce. When the lid should be locked with the container anyway, then thelocking mechanism can be used to clamp the gasket between the lid andthe collar front face. A clamping of the gasket between the lid and thelateral face of the collar is not necessary and hence not provided.

Particularly preferred the gasket provides a second sealing force ontothe collar front face in the closed state, wherein the second sealingforce is provided by a resilient force of the gasket due to thedeformation of the gasket by means of the collar only. The gasket maynot only seal the collar at its lateral face but may provide in additiona sealing at the collar front face. The sealing effect and the sealingquality may be improved. In the alternate a clamping of the gasketbetween the lid and the collar front face is omitted.

Particularly the container comprises an axial container front face fromwhich the collar protrudes in axial direction, wherein the gasket meetsthe container front face in the closed state. The gasket may not onlyseal the collar at its lateral face but may provide in addition thefunctionality of a stop which defines the maximum closed position of thelid. Due to the elasticity of the gasket the gasket may damp the hit atthe end of the closing movement when the lid reaches its closed state.Further a rattling of the lid may be damped by the gasket meeting thecontainer front face.

Preferably the gasket provides a third sealing force onto the containerfront face in the closed state. The gasket may provide in addition asealing at the container front face. Due to the further sealing face thesealing effect and the sealing quality may be improved.

Particularly preferred the gasket is clamped between the lid and thecontainer front face in the closed state for providing the third sealingforce. When the lid should be locked with the container anyway, then thelocking mechanism can be used to clamp the gasket between the lid andthe container front face. A clamping of the gasket between the lid andthe lateral face of the collar is not necessary and hence not provided.

Particularly a sealing foil is connected to the collar, particularly tothe collar front face. The opening may be sealed in addition by means ofthe sealing foil. The sealing foil may be glued and/or welded to thecollar front face. The container may preferably receive hydrophilicmaterials and/or hygroscopic materials, for example bleaching powder.The sealing foil may protect the filling material from environmentalinfluences until first use of the filing material so that no humiditymay enter the container and contact the filling material. The sealingfoil may be made from a metal material, particularly comprisingaluminium.

Preferably the gasket is designed as a mainly flat ring. Particularlythe gasket is a circumferential ring of any suitable shape. Theextension of the gasket in radial direction may be significantly largerthan its thickness. The gasket may comprise a quite simplethree-dimensional design so that the gasket may be cost efficientmanufactured. The gasket may be bent such in closed state that one flataxial face is pressed in radial direction onto the lateral face of thecollar, wherein the gasket may be connected to the lid via its outerlateral face or via a part of the other flat axial face.

Particularly preferred the lid comprises a ring-shaped side wallprotruding towards the collar from a top part of the lid, wherein theside wall surrounds the collar in the closed state, wherein the gasketis connected to the side wall. The gasket may be arranged at leastpartially, preferably as whole, in radial direction between the sidewall and the collar. The gasket may be pressed between the side wall andthe collar in radial direction so that a sufficient sealing force inradial direction can be applied to the collar. The gasket may beradially supported by the side wall when the collar bends and/orstretches the gasket radially outwards.

Preferably a closure part is connected to the container, wherein the lidis centered to the closure part. The gasket may be centered with respectto the closure part and the collar also by centering the lid to theclosure part. The closure part may comprise a tube part protrudingupwards in axial direction, by means of which the lid may be centered.The side wall of the lid may be put onto the tube part in closed state.The tube part may comprise a chamfer or the like for facilitating theinsertion of the tube part into the lid. Particularly the lid may bereleasably clamped to the closure part, preferably by means of a pressfit between the tube part of the closure part and the side wall of thelid. The lid may be secured against unintentional opening.

Particularly the lid is releasably connected, particularly clamped, tothe container in the closed state, particularly via a clip connector,wherein particularly the side wall is clamped to the container.Generally the lid may be clamped to the container by means of thefriction between the gasket and the collar. Preferably the lid isreleasably connected to the container by means of a separate connectionmeans, particularly adapted for providing a form fit and/or a positivefit of the lid with the container. The lid may be locked with thecontainer so that an accidentally opening of the packaging may beprevented. Particularly the connection means may provide a significantaxial clearance in the locked state so that a closing of the packagingis facilitated.

Preferably the lid meets the container via a stopper face in the closedstate. A maximum closed state may be defined by a relative positionwhere the stopper face of the lid meets a corresponding face of thecontainer. This in turn may define a relative position of the gasket tothe collar so that it can be prevented that the gasket is pulled alonger way than necessary onto the collar. The handling of the packagingmay be improved.

Particularly preferred the gasket is made from an elastomer material,particularly silicone, thermoplastic elastomer or rubber. Due to thismaterial the gasket can be deformed by means of the closing lid and mayprovide a sufficient resilient force for providing a tight sealing.

Particularly the gasket comprises a hardness h in Shore A according toDIN ISO 7619-1:2010 at 23° C. of 5≤h≤90. This hardness allows asufficient deforming of the gasket when the lid is closed. At the sametime the gasket may provide a sufficient resilient force against thedeformation for providing a sealing force which leads to a tightsealing.

Preferably a material sensitive to the environmental atmosphere,particularly a hygroscopic material, is provided inside the container,wherein particularly the material comprises or consists of a cosmeticproduct, particularly a bleaching powder. Due to the tight sealing suchkind of a filling material may be stored inside the container withoutthe risk that the filling material is affected by environmentalinfluences. For example, an agglomeration of a hygroscopic material dueto environmental humidity may be prevented.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from andelucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter,wherein the described features can constitute each solely or incombination an independent aspect of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1: is a schematic cross sectional view of a part of a firstembodiment of a packaging in open state,

FIG. 2: is a schematic cross sectional view of the packaging of FIG. 1in closed state,

FIG. 3: is a schematic cross sectional detailed view of the packaging ofFIG. 2,

FIG. 4: is a schematic cross sectional detailed view of a secondembodiment of a packaging,

FIG. 5: is a schematic cross sectional detailed view of a thirdembodiment of a packaging and

FIG. 6: is a schematic cross sectional detailed view of a fourthembodiment of a packaging.

The packaging as illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a container 12 with anopening 14 bordered by a collar 16. The collar 16 comprises a rim 18protruding radially outwards. The opening 14 can be closed by means of alid 20. The lid 20 comprises a top part 22 from which a ring-shaped sidewall 24 protrudes axially downwards. A gasket 26 arranged radiallyinwards to the side wall 24 is connected to the side wall 24 along itswhole circumference. The gasket 26 is designed ring-shaped. The wholegasket 26 is arranged in a radial plane of the lid 20 in the illustratedopen state of the packaging 10.

When the packaging 10 is closed as illustrated in FIG. 2 an axialstopper face 28 of the lid 20 may meet the container 12 directly orindirectly via a closure part 30 connected to the container 12 via clipconnectors 32. In the alternate the closure part 30 may be fixed to thelid 20 or may be one-piece with the lid 20. Since the outer diameter ofthe collar 16 and/or the outer diameter of the rim 18 is larger than theinner diameter of the gasket, collar 16 and/or the rim 18 bends thegasket 26 upwards in the illustrated closed state so that the gasket 26lies against the collar 16 and/or the rim 18.

As illustrated in FIG. 3 the gasket 26 provides an axial first sealingforce 34 to the rim 18 of the collar 16 due to a resilient force of thegasket 26 caused by the elastic deformation of the gasket 26 by means ofthe collar 16 pressed into the gasket 26 during the closing movement ofthe lid 20. In the alternate the gasket 26 provides an axial firstsealing force 34 to the lateral face of the collar 16 below the rim 18only or both to the lateral face of the rim 18 and the lateral face ofthe collar 16 below the rim 18.

The gasket 26 of the packaging 10 as illustrated in FIG. 4 providescompared to the packaging 10 as illustrated in FIG. 3 an additionalthird sealing force 36 in axial direction against a container front faceof the container 12. Particularly the gasket 26 is arranged between theside wall 24 and the container front face so that it is possible toclamp the gasket 26 between the side wall 24 and the container frontface for providing the third sealing force 36 in axial direction.

The gasket 26 of the packaging 10 as illustrated in FIG. 5 providescompared to the packaging 10 as illustrated in FIG. 4 a second sealingforce 38 in axial direction against a collar front face of the collar 16which may or may not be provided by the rim 18. Due to thethree-dimensional design of the gasket 26 a part of the gasket 26 maymeet the collar front face of the collar 16 for increasing the sealingeffect. The second sealing force of gasket 26 applied to the collarfront face of the collar 16 is also provided only by means of aresilient force of the gasket 26 caused by the elastic deformation ofthe gasket 26 by means of the collar 16 pressed into the gasket 26during the closing movement of the lid 20. If so, the gasket may beconnected to the lid like illustrated in FIG. 4 so that the thirdsealing force 36 may be omitted.

The gasket 26 of the packaging 10 as illustrated in FIG. 6 providescompared to the packaging 10 as illustrated in FIG. 5 a further firstsealing force 40 in radial direction against a lateral face of thecollar 16 positioned in an undercut of the collar 16 between the rim 18and the container front face of the container 12. Particularly when thefirst sealing force 34, the second sealing force 38 and/or the thirdsealing force 36 should be also applied, the gasket 26 may be designedas a ring-shaped body which a more block-like cross section compared tothe more flat cross section of the ring shaped gasket 26 in the otherillustrated embodiments. The cross section of the gasket 26 illustratedin FIG. 6 may be mainly B-like. Particularly the rim may be releasablyengaged, particularly clipped, into the gasket 26 between theprotrusions of the mainly B-like cross section of the gasket 26. Due tothe elasticity of the gasket 26 the rim 18 of the collar 16 may be partof a snap-on connection with the gasket 26.

1. Packaging for receiving a filling material, comprising a containerfor storing the filling material, wherein the container comprises acollar for bordering an opening for providing access to the fillingmaterial, a lid for covering the opening in closed state and a gasketmade from an elastic material for sealing the opening, wherein thegasket is connected to the lid, wherein the gasket is elasticallydeformable by the collar in the closed state and the gasket isstructured to provide a first sealing force in radial direction onto thecollar in the closed state, wherein the first sealing force is providedby a resilient force of the gasket (26) due to the deformation of thegasket by means of the collar only.
 2. Packaging according to claim 1,wherein the collar comprises a rim protruding radially outwards, whereinthe first sealing force applies onto the lateral area of the rim and/oronto the lateral area of an undercut of the collar bordered by the rim.3. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the gasket is formed suchthat the gasket meets an axial collar front face of the collar in theclosed state.
 4. Packaging according to claim 3, wherein the gasketprovides a second sealing force onto the collar front face in the closedstate, wherein the second sealing force is provided by a resilient forceof the gasket due to the deformation of the gasket by means of thecollar only.
 5. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the containercomprises an axial container front face from which the collar protrudesin axial direction, wherein the gasket meets the container front face inthe closed state.
 6. Packaging according to claim 5, wherein the gasketprovides a third sealing force onto the container front face in theclosed state.
 7. Packaging according to claim 6, wherein the gasket isclamped between the lid and the container front face in the closed statefor providing the third sealing force.
 8. Packaging according to claim1, wherein a sealing foil is connected to the collar front face. 9.Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the lid comprises a ring-shapedside wall protruding towards the collar from a top part of the lid,wherein the side wall surrounds the collar in the closed state, whereinthe gasket is connected to the side wall.
 10. Packaging according toclaim 1, wherein a closure part is connected to the container, whereinthe lid is centered to the closure part.
 11. Packaging according toclaim 1, wherein the lid is releasably clamped to the container (12) inthe closed state via a clip connector, wherein the side wall is clampedto the container.
 12. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the lidmeets the container via a stopper face in the closed state. 13.Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the gasket is made from one ofsilicone, thermoplastic elastomer and rubber.
 14. Packaging according toclaim 1, wherein the gasket comprises a hardness h in Shore A accordingto DIN ISO 7619-1:2010 at 23° C. of 5≤h≤90.
 15. Packaging according toclaim 1, wherein a hygroscopic material is provided inside thecontainer, wherein the material comprises or consists of a cosmeticproduct.